The Chaotic Middle

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Kelly Martins of Grati Consulting to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Kelly shared her story of how healing from a domestic violence experience led her to helping others find their footing and build something beautiful. She shares the importance of daily mindset practices, ditching the hustle culture, and staying true to yourself.   Kelly also talks about...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Candace Dudley to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Candace is a former teacher turned podcast tour strategist for coaches and service providers. Listen in as she chats with Amanda about how intentional podcast guesting can serve as a powerful marketing funnel by attracting listeners who are already looking for the guest’s services. Candace shares some tip...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell celebrates a podcast milestone and addresses the common confusion small businesses face regarding search engine optimization. She shares basic SEO strategies that improve visibility not only in traditional search results but also within Google AI overviews and AI search modes.   Amanda will be back next week with another candid conversation with an inspiring wo...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Rashae Islas from House of Islas to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Rashae and Amanda dive into the societal pressures of keeping up with clutter and home life, specifically for moms. Rashae shares how excessive home clutter often signals systemic failures and unrealistic societal expectations rather than personal shortcomings. They talk about managing a...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Brittany Dewberry of Britebrand Studio to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Brittany and Amanda bonded over their love of strategic branding and building marketing foundations for small businesses. They also talk about how connecting the pieces of an existing fragmented marketing strategy can help entrepreneurs find the confidence they need to build the bu...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes marketing expert and confidence queen Hannah Plourde to The Chaotic Middle Podcast.   Hannah shares how she overcame her shyness to build a thriving business. Leaning into authentic storytelling and rejecting outdated, generic marketing strategies, Hannah shared more about how she’s helped her clients find the success they want, too.    If you enjoy th...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes author Amy Vogel from AW Vogel Publishing to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Amy and Amanda get deep into career pivots, generational healing, empowerment, and intentional parenting. They also explore why teaching their children self-worth and how to hold boundaries at a young age are important life skills. The biggest takeaway: stop seeking external val...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell gets back to the basics of her business, Chaos Coordination: helping people share their story and build their brands.   She talks about the 4-part framework, The Content Ecosystem, that she uses to attract, nurture, and convert her clients. She also shares how you can use the same framework to connect your marketing and develop a cycle that works for you, too....

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Mindi Alexander, founder of Graphic Fusion, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Mindi and Amanda have a fun conversation about how Mindi was inspired to start her business and why it places such a strong emphasis on giving back to the community and world around her. They also discuss the differences between running an ecommerce business and being a servic...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Puja Malhotra, founder of Roop Creative Agency, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   In this candid (and fun!) episode, Amanda and Puja get into the nitty-gritty of navigating entrepreneurship, personal crises, and quality time with family. Puja specifically details how she transitioned from corporate to entrepreneurship, finding that business provided a s...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Gina Baird, a licensed social worker, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Listen in as Gina and Amanda discuss perinatal mental health, parental challenges, and supportive professional work with families. Relying on her education, experience in both pediatric and women’s health settings, and her personal experience as a mother, Gina shares refreshing insi...

In this month’s solo episode, host Amanda Russell shares how easy it is to fall into a "comparison trap" when operating in the online space, where business owners frequently look at competitors and successful peers. She notes that this often leads to the false belief that, if you want to be successful, you have to be exactly like everyone else, when really the power lies in following your own goal...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Juliana Alcantara, founder of Your Financial Health Coach, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Juliana shares how she transitioned from corporate accounting to family financial coaching, emphasizing intentional wealth building, and how her heart lies in helping families prepare for maternity leave and manage complex debt. This refreshing and candid conver...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Jessica Covington, the founder of Fitology and a Master Certified ADHD coach, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   In her coaching practice, Jessica works with women to reduce the shame and stigma surrounding ADHD. Armed with years of experience and a certification list a mile long, Jessica shares ways to navigate a diagnosis and enjoy life where your ADHD...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell shares some of her non-negotiable beliefs about being a mom, wife, and entrepreneur. She also shares a pretty exciting announcement! If you’ve been looking for a raw, unfiltered look at the ups and downs of being a woman in the world of small business, this one is for you.    Amanda will be back next week with another candid conversation with an inspiring woman...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Tabitha DeSeranno, founder of Spark & Soul Design Studio, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Tabitha shared her non-linear career path to entrepreneurship, including the challenges of becoming a teen mom, navigating multiple career pivots, and how an online search for remote work led her to becoming an “accidental CEO.”   If you enjoy this candid con...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Madeline Rooks, founder of Rookie Productions, a woman‑owned indie production company, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Madeline shared how she became a filmmaker by moving to California after growing up on the East Coast. Madeline and Amanda got into everything from why film is an important storytelling medium to a discussion of the value of human art...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Caitlin Wuethrich, owner of Caitlin Wuethrich Media, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Caitlin is a social media marketer and agency owner who focuses on working with passion-driven entrepreneurs and nonprofits. Through her strategy sessions, monthly retainers, and customized template options, Caitlin and her team help business owners understand that th...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Angie Luo, owner of Mirale Collective, to The Chaotic Middle podcast.   Angie calls herself a Regenerative Culture Doula, and works with BIPOC-led nonprofits and social impact organizations to help them break out of the stereotypical grind culture. Through her fractional COO services and organizational transformation consulting, she helps organizations...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Kesha Moore, an Event Operations Unicorn and owner of Rolling with Keke, a full-lifecycle meeting and event operations management company.   Kesha and Amanda discussed balancing motherhood and her career using "the three C's: Coffee, Christ, and a little bit of cussing.” Kesha also shared more about the importance of mentorship for Black women in the h...

In this month’s solo episode, host Amanda Russell shares her plans to scale back on social media and what she’s investing in instead. These 7 strategies will help her get off the social media hamster wheel, avoid burnout, and still grow her business.   If you’re a business owner who is sick of changing trending sounds or spending all day on Instagram, this episode is for you!    Amanda will be bac...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Shannon Logan, the executive coach behind The Whole Woman Reset. Shannon works with women entrepreneurs and small business owners who are facing health, mindset, and overall fulfillment challenges.   Amanda and Shannon discussed the fast pace of modern society, particularly for mothers. Listen in as Shannon shares her career evolution from fitness to e...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Giorgia G., a success coach, to The Chaotic Middle podcast. Listen in as they discuss strategies for high-achieving mothers to overcome self-sabotage, achieve fulfillment without burnout, and release mom guilt by demonstrating that personal achievement benefits their children.   Giorgia and Amanda discussed defining personal success against internal cr...

In this episode, host Amanda Russell welcomes Ryann Doria, owner of Ryann Kristena Events, to discuss the transition from a background in theater to specializing in alternative and non-traditional wedding planning.   Ryann discusses how she has adjusted her business expectations after moving from Orange County, California, to Salt Lake City, Utah. They also discuss the challenges of rebuilding an...

In this month’s solo episode, host Amanda Russell discusses successfully transitioning from a virtual assistant into a specialized copywriting firm over 7 years.   She also gets into tools and communities that support her business, including CRM systems, AI tools, and tips on how to improve your business’s copywriting, content strategy, and more.   If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, o...